Portland Energy Conservation Inc. officials said international attendees of a group roundtable will take lessons on becoming “Low Carbon Model Towns” back to their home cities.

PECI hosted a roundtable from members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation on Tuesday. The Low Carbon Model Town initiative aims to transform cities through sustainable technologies such as solar and wind power, electric cars, water treatment systems and smart energy grids.

APEC members come from 21 Pacific Rim countries, including Japan, New Zealand, Russia and the United States. Participants came to Portland to learn more about the city’s greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.

During the roundtable:

Portland State University officials, including Jennifer Allen, director of the school’s Institute for Sustainable Solutions, revealed how local research and education efforts support Portland’s low-carbon model.

A Portland Transportation Department team detailed specific city policies.

“Portland developers had vision,” added Alisa Kane, green building and development manager for the city’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. “They said, we want to create a highly sustainable, highly livable, highly profitable neighborhood, and they went on to create the Brewery Blocks. For its time especially, it was very advanced thinking of what’s possible in a neighborhood.”